Lowry's Piccadilly Circus sells for £5.6m at Christie's - BBC News BBC News Lowry's Piccadilly Circus sells for £5.6m at Christie's 17 November 2011 Read more about sharing. Close share panel Image caption The painting dating back to 1960 is one of very few London scenes captured by the Salford artist A painting of Piccadilly Circus by LS Lowry has sold at auction for £5.6m, matching the world record price for the artist. The 1960 painting, which is one of two Lowry works of the London landmark, sold at Christie's to a private buyer. It was among 14 works by the Salford painter being auctioned from the Lord Forte Collection. The price was the same as the record-breaking fee paid for The Football Match, which was sold in May. The collection as a whole fetched £17,668,250, which far exceeded the pre-sale estimate, Christie's said. An exhibition of 38 paintings and drawings by Lowry opens next Wednesday at art dealer Richard Green's gallery in Mayfair.

Mr Green said: "To sell 14 paintings in one sale shows the breadth of his appeal. A painting by him is more expensive at auction than any Henry Moore sculpture or Damien Hirst painting." Christie's head of 20th Century British and Irish Art Philip Harley said 2011 marked an "unprecedented" year for works from the period, revealing that £41,502,500 had been realised by his department so far. He said: "This inaugural evening sale, which has set the highest total for the category at Christie's, clearly highlights the current market's insatiable appetite for the best 20th Century British and Irish Art." Lowry's Piccadilly Circus sells for £5.6 million | London Evening Standard Lowry's Piccadilly Circus sells for £5.6 million Thursday 17 November 2011 08:12 BST Click to follow The Evening Standard Lowry's Piccadilly Circus: Sold for £5.6 million A painting by LS Lowry has sold for £5.6 million at auction, matching a world record price for the artist.

The 1960 painting of Piccadilly Circus was sold at Christie's for £5,641,250 (including buyer's premium), matching the previous record for Lowry's work set in May 2011 with the sale of The Football Match, which also went for £5.6 million. Last night's sale was also the joint highest world record in the category of 20th century British and Irish art, the auction house said. The picture of the famous London landmark went under the hammer at the evening sale as part of a collection of 14 works known as The Lord Forte Collection of Paintings by LS Lowry. Comprised entirely of oil paintings dating from the 1930s to the 1960s, the collection's stand-out piece was Piccadilly Circus, which was expected to fetch between £4 million and £6 million, and was purchased by a private buyer. Lowry painted very few London scenes, and only two depict the capital's busy Piccadilly Circus. The earlier and smaller of which, dating to 1959, was a private commission.

It was sold in June 1998 for £562,500, which was a record price for the artist at the time. According to Christie's, the market for Lowry has never been stronger. Philip Harley, head of 20th Century British & Irish Art at Christie's London, said 2011 marked an "unprecedented" year for this category at Christie's, in which £41,502,500 had been realised so far. "This inaugural evening sale - which has set the highest total for the category at Christie's - clearly highlights the current market's insatiable appetite for the best 20th Century British and Irish Art and Christie's continued dominance in the field of LS Lowry," he said. "We are thrilled that Piccadilly Circus, London, 1960 - the star lot of the exceptional Lord Forte Collection of Works by LS Lowry - sold for £5.6 million, setting the joint highest price for the artist and the category." The collection as a whole fetched £17,668,250, far exceeding the pre-sale estimate, Mr Harley added.

An exhibition of 38 paintings and drawings by Lowry opens on Wednesday at art dealer Richard Green's new gallery in Mayfair. Mr Green said the Christie's sale demonstrated Lowry's popularity. "To sell 14 paintings in one sale shows the breadth of his appeal - a painting by him is more expensive at auction than any Henry Moore sculpture or Damien Hirst painting," he said. More about: Lowry's Piccadilly Circus sells for £5.6m at Christie's - BBC News BBC News Lowry's Piccadilly Circus sells for £5.6m at Christie's 17 November 2011 Read more about sharing. Close share panel Image caption The painting dating back to 1960 is one of very few London scenes captured by the Salford artist A painting of Piccadilly Circus by LS Lowry has sold at auction for £5.6m, matching the world record price for the artist. The 1960 painting, which is one of two Lowry works of the London landmark, sold at Christie's to a private buyer. It was among 14 works by the Salford painter being auctioned from the Lord Forte Collection.

The price was the same as the record-breaking fee paid for The Football Match, which was sold in May. The collection as a whole fetched £17,668,250, which far exceeded the pre-sale estimate, Christie's said. An exhibition of 38 paintings and drawings by Lowry opens next Wednesday at art dealer Richard Green's gallery in Mayfair. Mr Green said: "To sell 14 paintings in one sale shows the breadth of his appeal. A painting by him is more expensive at auction than any Henry Moore sculpture or Damien Hirst painting." Christie's head of 20th Century British and Irish Art Philip Harley said 2011 marked an "unprecedented" year for works from the period, revealing that £41,502,500 had been realised by his department so far.

He said: "This inaugural evening sale, which has set the highest total for the category at Christie's, clearly highlights the current market's insatiable appetite for the best 20th Century British and Irish Art." Lowry's Piccadilly Circus painting sells for £5.6m at auction - Mirror Online News Lowry's Piccadilly Circus painting sells for £5.6m at auction A painting by LS Lowry has sold for £5.6 million at auction, matching a world record price for the artist. Share Get daily updates directly to your inbox + Subscribe Thank you for subscribing! Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email A painting by LS Lowry has sold for £5.6 million at auction, matching a world record price for the artist. The 1960 painting of Piccadilly Circus was sold at Christie's for £5,641,250 (including buyer's premium), matching the previous record for Lowry's work set in May 2011 with the sale of The Football Match, which also went for £5.6 million.

Last night's sale was also the joint highest world record in the category of 20th century British and Irish art, the auction house said. The picture of the famous London landmark went under the hammer at the evening sale as part of a collection of 14 works known as The Lord Forte Collection of Paintings by LS Lowry. Comprised entirely of oil paintings dating from the 1930s to the 1960s, the collection's stand-out piece was Piccadilly Circus, which was expected to fetch between £4 million and £6 million, and was purchased by a private buyer. Lowry painted very few London scenes, and only two depict the capital's busy Piccadilly Circus. The earlier and smaller of which, dating to 1959, was a private commission. It was sold in June 1998 for £562,500, which was a record price for the artist at the time. According to Christie's, the market for Lowry has never been stronger.

Philip Harley, head of 20th Century British & Irish Art at Christie's London, said 2011 marked an "unprecedented" year for this category at Christie's, in which £41,502,500 had been realised so far. "This inaugural evening sale - which has set the highest total for the category at Christie's - clearly highlights the current market's insatiable appetite for the best 20th Century British and Irish Art and Christie's continued dominance in the field of LS Lowry," he said "We are thrilled that Piccadilly Circus, London, 1960 - the star lot of the exceptional Lord Forte Collection of Works by LS Lowry - sold for £5.6 million, setting the joint highest price for the artist and the category." The collection as a whole fetched £17,668,250, far exceeding the pre-sale estimate, Mr Harley added. An exhibition of 38 paintings and drawings by Lowry opens on Wednesday at art dealer Richard Green's new gallery in Mayfair. Mr Green said the Christie's sale demonstrated Lowry's popularity.

"To sell 14 paintings in one sale shows the breadth of his appeal - a painting by him is more expensive at auction than any Henry Moore sculpture or Damien Hirst painting," he said. Like us on Facebook Most Read Most Recent Most Read Most Recent LS Lowry painting bought for £5.6m | The Independent LS Lowry painting bought for £5.6m Thursday 17 November 2011 08:53 BST Click to follow The Independent Culture Lowry's painting of Piccadilly Circus PA A painting by LS Lowry has sold for £5.6 million at auction, matching a world record price for the artist. The 1960 painting of Piccadilly Circus was sold at Christie's for £5,641,250 (including buyer's premium), matching the previous record for Lowry's work set in May 2011 with the sale of The Football Match, which also went for £5.6 million. Last night's sale was also the joint highest world record in the category of 20th century British and Irish art, the auction house said.

The picture of the famous London landmark went under the hammer at the evening sale as part of a collection of 14 works known as The Lord Forte Collection of Paintings by LS Lowry. Comprised entirely of oil paintings dating from the 1930s to the 1960s, the collection's stand-out piece was Piccadilly Circus, which was expected to fetch between £4 million and £6 million, and was purchased by a private buyer. Lowry painted very few London scenes, and only two depict the capital's busy Piccadilly Circus. The earlier and smaller of which, dating to 1959, was a private commission. It was sold in June 1998 for £562,500, which was a record price for the artist at the time. According to Christie's, the market for Lowry has never been stronger. Philip Harley, head of 20th Century British & Irish Art at Christie's London, said 2011 marked an "unprecedented" year for this category at Christie's, in which £41,502,500 had been realised so far.

"This inaugural evening sale - which has set the highest total for the category at Christie's - clearly highlights the current market's insatiable appetite for the best 20th Century British and Irish Art and Christie's continued dominance in the field of LS Lowry," he said "We are thrilled that Piccadilly Circus, London, 1960 - the star lot of the exceptional Lord Forte Collection of Works by LS Lowry - sold for £5.6 million, setting the joint highest price for the artist and the category." The collection as a whole fetched £17,668,250, far exceeding the pre-sale estimate, Mr Harley added. An exhibition of 38 paintings and drawings by Lowry opens on Wednesday at art dealer Richard Green's new gallery in Mayfair. Mr Green said the Christie's sale demonstrated Lowry's popularity. "To sell 14 paintings in one sale shows the breadth of his appeal - a painting by him is more expensive at auction than any Henry Moore sculpture or Damien Hirst painting," he said. PA RELEASE: The Lord Forte Collection of Paintings by L.S.

Lowry - 16 November 2011 | Press Release | Christie's Back RELEASE: The Lord Forte Collection of Paintings by L.S. Lowry - 16 November 2011 Christie's to Sell 14 Lowrys from Lord Forte's Collection, the Most Important Group of Lowry Paintings to Come to Auction London, King Street Download PDF Christie’s announce the sale of Lord Forte’s Collection of Paintings by L.S. Lowry, undoubtedly the highest quality group of works by the artist to come to the market. The 14 paintings will be offered in Christie’s inaugural evening sale of 20th Century British & Irish Art on 16 November 2011. The Forte family name is synonymous with the world famous hotel brand which was established by the entrepreneurial magnate Charles Forte who created a worldwide empire of restaurants and hotels from virtually nothing. Having opened his first ‘milk bar’ on Regent Street, London, at the age of 26 in 1935, he built an impressive portfolio and a company which was FTSE 100 listed.

This is a legacy of excellence which now lives on in the form of the Rocco Forte Hotels, a collection of five-star hotels. The collection is being sold by the descendants of Lord Forte (1908 - 2007). Comprised entirely of important oil paintings which date from the 1930s to 1960s, this remarkable collection was passionately assembled with Lord Forte’s discerning eye, largely during the artist’s lifetime, in the 60s, 70s and 80s. It is led by a joyous and highly evocative depiction of Piccadilly Circus, London, from 1960, which is – like most of the works - offered for the first time at auction and expected to realise between £4 million and £6 million. A masterpiece within the artist’s oeuvre, this is the most desirable and exceptional of Lowry’s rare London scenes.

Among the roll call of other significant works, of which four are million-pound-plus paintings, further highlights include Fun Fair at Daisy Nook, 1953 (estimate: £1,500,000-2,000,000) and Saturday Afternoon, 1941 (estimate: £1,200,000-1,800,000). Crossing the spectrum of potential subjects, dates and price levels, estimates range from £120,000 to £6 million. The market for Lowry has never been stronger, with Christie’s recent sale of The Football Match, 1949, setting a world record price for the artist at auction and a world record price for the category of 20th Century British & Irish Art, when it sold for £5.6 million. Rachel Hidderley, Christie’s International Specialist and Director, 20th Century British Art: “The most important group of works by L.S.

Lowry ever to come to auction, this private collection of 14 paintings includes the iconic London masterpiece ‘Piccadilly Circus’, as well as an extensive Industrial landscape, a Saturday afternoon football match, the Easter Fun Fair at Daisy Nook, together with views of Lowry's beloved Salford. Every type of Lowry cityscape is represented here from the earliest, crowded and claustrophobic ‘Old Street’ in 1932, to the confident, bustling panoramas of the 1960s, culminating in ‘Piccadilly Circus’, 1960.” Philip Harley, Director & Head of 20th Century British & Irish Art, Christies London: “This group offers Lowry collectors the opportunity to acquire a master work from this carefully composed collection, gathered by an eminent figure of the Post-War British era.” Lowry painted very few London scenes. Only two depict the capital’s iconic landmark Piccadilly Circus, the earlier and smaller of which, dating to 1959 and measuring 20 x 24 in., was a private commission.

It was sold in June 1998 for £562,500, which was – at the time - a record price for the artist. The Forte example, is considerably larger, measuring 30 x 40 in. Executed a year later it is painted from a higher vantage point enabling a fuller and wider scene, with even more figures, vehicles and buildings. This painting is a masterpiece, exuding palpable excitement and an intoxicating sense of London’s daily hustle-and-bustle, accentuated by Lowry’s inimitable stamp of the row of figures crossing the foreground. This activity is balanced with a fresh light palette and notable expanse of sky. Unlike many of his industrial landscapes, Lowry’s London pictures are not imagined but based on well-known places, as this work reflects. A fascinating historical record of location, brands and design, it depicts the distinctive advertising signs of Wrigleys, Coca-Cola, Bovril, the Guinness clock, Max Factor, Schweppes and Gordon’s Gin.

Confusingly for the present day viewer familiar with the location, the Circus underwent reconstruction in the late 1980s when the monument – the focal point of the composition - was moved from the centre of the junction at the entrance to Shaftesbury Avenue to its present location in the Southwest corner. The Shaftesbury Monument Memorial Fountain (1892-93), which was built to commemorate Lord Shaftesbury’s philanthropic works, is most known for the famous winged figure of The Angel of Christian Charity, by Sir Alfred Gilbert, which sits atop and is popularly known as ‘Eros’. Fun Fair at Daisy Nook, 1953, is a captivating work, providing a loose representation of the Lancashire town’s sweeping hills with a combination of very abstract areas and evocative vignettes of people jostling through the scene in to the distance (estimate: £1,500,000-2,000,000). Highlighting Lowry’s remarkable technique, some of these figures are single touches of paint.

Offered for the first time at auction, this painting relates closely to the artist’s earlier work Good Friday, Daisy Nook, 1946, which set the record price for the artist and the category at auction when it realised £3,772,000 in 2007, this stood for 4 years and was only surpassed in May 2011 by Lowry’s The Football Match. Traditionally, mill workers were confined to only two statutory days of holiday every year: Good Friday and Christmas Day. Every year on Good Friday, a fair at Daisy Nook was staged to provide entertainment for the local crowds. Managed by the Silcock family, whose name appears in the background of the painting, the fair regularly attracted huge numbers of people and still takes place to this day. Providing a classic juxtaposition and interplay between work and leisure, Saturday Afternoon, 1941, depicts people of all ages at play and leisure on their weekend, with an anonymous mill looming in the background reminding the viewer of what the next day brings (estimate: £1,200,000-1,800,000).

On the left going out of the frame is a crowd watching a football match, with a less formal game unfolding in the center of the canvas, and a couple of bicycles gliding through. The factory is strikingly similar to Acme Spinning Company Mill, Pendlebury which sparked Lowry’s first interest in industrial working scenes. Having missed a train he stood at the top of the station steps and had time to absorb the scene that he had looked at “without seeing” many times before. Painted during the war, this painting depicts an important moment of relaxation and play in Northern England. The first Lowry that Lord Forte bought in July 1961 was Sandsend near Whitby, 1953, (estimate: £120,000-180,000), illustrated left.

Many of the northern scenes depict unspecified or imagined locations, including other top lots such as Industrial Landscape, 1944, (estimate: £1,200,000-1,800,000), Town Centre, 1966 (estimate: £500,000-800,000) and Northern Street Scene, 1962 (estimate: £500,000-800,000), through to Town Steps, 1954 (estimate: £300,000-500,000), the Two Anglers, 1963 (estimate: £200,000-300,0000), and The Bridge, 1931 (estimate: £250,000-350,000).

The exceptions are the engaging and slightly surreal painting entitled Stow-on-the-Wold, 1947 (estimate: £250,000-350,000), An Old Street, 1932, which shows a street in Stockport called Mealhouse Brow (estimate: £500,000-800,000), and two Lytham pictures, Country Road, near Lytham (1952) (estimate: £150,000-250,000) and The Farm (1955) (estimate: £150,000-250,000), showing Lytham in Fylde in Lancashire. # # # Visit Christie’s on the web at NOTES TO EDITORS: Christie’s and L.S. Lowry Since June 2006 Christie’s have sold over 135 works by the artist realising in excess of £37.6 million Christie’s holds the world auction record price for L.S.

Lowry, with The Football Match, 1949 which sold for £5.6 million in May 2011; this is the highest price ever paid in the 20th Century British Art category. Between 2006 and 2011, to date, Christie’s has 74% market share for works by L.S. Lowry sold at auction. About Lowry: L.S. Lowry, R.A. (1887-1976) was a curious character, working a ‘9 to 5’ job with Pall Mall Property Company in Manchester until his retirement in 1952, and painted only in his spare time. Despite this restraint, he was hugely successful even within his lifetime; the Manchester City Art Gallery purchased An Accident in 1930, he was signed up to the Lefevre Gallery in London in 1939, elected an R.A. in 1962 and by 1967, the General Post Office issued a stamp reproducing one of his paintings. Lowry had been appointed official artist at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

He went on to turn down an O.B.E., a C.B.E., a C.H. (twice) and a knighthood on the grounds that he saw little point in receiving awards after the death of his mother. About Christie’s Christie’s, the world's leading art business, had global auction, private and digital sales in the first half of 2016 that totalled £2.1 billion / $3 billion. Christie’s is a name and place that speaks of extraordinary art, unparalleled service and expertise, as well as international glamour. Christie’s offers around 350 auctions annually in over 80 categories, including all areas of fine and decorative arts, jewellery, photographs, collectibles, wine, and more. Prices range from $200 to over $100 million. Christie's also has a long and successful history conducting private sales for its clients in all categories, with emphasis on Post-War & Contemporary, Impressionist & Modern, Old Masters and Jewellery. 2016 marks Christie’s 250th anniversary.

Founded in 1766 by James Christie, Christie's has since conducted the greatest and most celebrated auctions through the centuries providing a popular showcase for the unique and the beautiful. Click HERE to view a short film about Christie’s and the 250th anniversary. Christie’s has a global presence in 46 countries, with 12 salerooms around the world including in London, New York, Paris, Geneva, Milan, Amsterdam, Dubai, Zürich, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Mumbai. Christie’s has led the market with expanded initiatives in growth markets such as Russia, China, India and the United Arab Emirates, with successful sales and exhibitions in Beijing, Mumbai and Dubai. *Estimates do not include buyer’s premium. Sales totals are hammer price plus buyer’s premium and are reported net of applicable fees.

3 October 2011 Lowry Painting Set To Fetch £6m at Christie's - Artlyst / Art Categories Art Market , News / Art Tags Lord Forte , Lowry Painting , Piccadilly Circus / / / / / Lord Forte’s Piccadilly Circus Oil goes under the hammer In November Having been part of hotel tycoon Lord Forte’s personal collection for almost 30 years, a LS Lowry painting of Piccadilly Circus is now going to be up for auction for the very first time. What’s more, it’s estimated that the piece – due to be sold Christie’s on 16 November – could fetch as much as £6 million! The 1960 painting, the most valuable in a list of 14 Lowry works from Forte’s collection, is one of only two images of Piccadilly Circus painted by the artist. Famous for his paintings of northern mill towns, these anomalous works were created just months apart. And, when the earlier one was sold in 1998, it set a then-record price for the artist, the 20 inches by 24 inches painting going for £562,500.

The second Piccadilly Circus painting (a larger piece, measuring 30’’ by 40’’) is to be sold at Christie’s next month as part of what is claimed to be the most important group of Lowry works to ever come to auction. If it is sold for £6million – the top estimate –, it would set a new record price for Lowry’s work, trumping the £5.6 million paid for his famous Football Match. The painting depicts the iconic Piccadilly Circus fountain in a different spot from its present location, along with billboards ads for international brands Max Factor, Wrigleys, Coca Cola, Bovril, and Gordon’s Gin. It will be on sale alongside the 1953 Fun Fair At Daisy Nook – an image of Lancashire mill workers celebrating Good Friday, and potentially fetching up to £2 million –, as well as the 1941 painting Saturday Afternoon that depicts leisure activities taking place in front of an ominous factory building.

In the words of Philip Harley, director and head of 20th Century British & Irish Art at Christie’s in London, ‘This group offers Lowry collectors the opportunity to acquire a master work from this carefully composed collection, gathered by an eminent figure of the post-war British era’. – Thomas Keane © ArtLyst 2011 Related Posts The Independent Art Voice ArtLyst is the UK’s most popular art information website. Art is at the core of everything we do. We demystify this complex subject to evoke reaction and inspire interaction, while providing up-to-date, multi-media art news, reviews and exhibition listings. Lowry's Piccadilly Circus equals £5.6m record at Christie's | Daily Mail Online comments He is best known for his paintings of matchstick men walking against a background of bleak northern mill towns. But one of LS Lowry's few paintings of London became the most expensive of the artist’s work in the world yesterday after it was sold for a record £5.6million.

The 1960 oil painting of London’s bustling Piccadilly Circus, which had not been seen in public for nearly 30 years, was last night sold at Christie’s auction room just a stone's throw from the iconic junction. Iconic: Lowry's oil painting of the London landmark was sold to a mystery bidder It shares the record for the most expensive Lowry piece to be sold, matching the one set by ‘The Football Match’ when it was sold in May. The artwork, which was part of hotel tycoon Lord Forte’s collection for almost three decades and has never been auctioned before, was sold to a mystery telephone bidder. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share It depicts Piccadilly's famous fountain, topped by the famous statue of Eros amid a throng of red buses and scurrying figures. The painting shows advertisements for Coca-Cola, Bovril, Max Factor and Wrigley’s on the famous hoardings overlooking the junction. It was one of 14 Lowry oil paintings from the late Lord Forte’s collection to be sold for a total of £17.7million last night by his descendants.

Rare piece: The Lancashire artist only painted five images of London and was most famous for his industrial northern landscapes The auction house described the selection as ‘undoubtedly the highest quality group of works by the artist to come to the market’. Three other paintings were auctioned off for more than a million pounds. ‘Fun Fair at Daisy Nook’ from 1953, which depicts mill workers in Lancashire celebrating Good Friday, sold for £3.4million and ‘Saturday Afternoon’ from 1941, which shows figures playing football and cycling at the weekend in front of an imposing factory building, went for £2million. An unnamed 24x36in industrial landscape sold for £2.6million. Lowry painted only five London scenes, of which two depict Piccadilly Circus. An earlier painting of the junction dating from 1959 was sold in June 1998 for £562,000, which was at the time a record price for the artist. But at 20x24in, the artwork was much smaller than the 30x40in painting sold yesterday.

Picture this: The auction of Lowry's London scene took place just a stone's throw from the landmark itself Although the scene of Piccadilly Circus looks very familiar, much of what is in the painting has changed in the past five decades. The area underwent reconstruction in the late 1980s when the fountain at the centre of the junction was moved to its present location on the south-west corner. The only company depicted in the painting to be still advertising on the famous hoardings, is Coca-Cola, which has now taken the place that Bovril takes in the painting. Lord Forte, who died in 2007, built up his worldwide leisure empire after opening a milk bar on London's Regent Street in 1935, at the age of 26. The peer, who died in 2007, had held many of the paintings for decades. Lowry lived in Greater Manchester, and became famous for painting industrial landscapes peopled by distinctive figures with thin bodies and large heads.

Lowry, who died in 1967, claimed to be a 'simple man' who could not understand modern art, but is now treated as a major artist, with much of his work exhibited in a purpose-built museum in Salford. He was a notoriously private man who hated publicity, and was secretive about his job at the Pall Mall Property Company, where he worked for decades to support his artistic career. The sale comes at a buoyant time for the art market, which is seen as a relatively safe place to invest money during this period of turmoil in other markets. lowry, r.a., laurence stephen p ||| painting ||| sotheby's l14145lot6blmcen Alex. Reid & Lefevre Ltd, London Alasdair Roger Roy Miles Fine Paintings, London, where purchased by Lord Forte, April 1983 His sale, Christie's London, 16th November 2011, lot 7, where acquired by the late owner Exhibited London, Alex. Reid & Lefevre Ltd, New Paintings by L.S. Lowry, October 1961, cat.

no.34, illustrated; Sunderland, Sunderland Art Gallery, L.S. Lowry R.A. Retrospective Exhibition, August - September 1966, cat. no.88, illustrated, with Arts Council tour to Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester, Bristol City Art Gallery, Bristol and Tate, London; Cardiff, National Gallery of Wales, (long-term loan, March 1979 - December 1981); London, Royal Academy of Arts, L.S. Lowry, 4th September - 14th November 1976, cat. no.255; Salford, The Lowry, A Lowry Summer, 7th July – 9th September 2012, un-numbered exhibition; London, Tate, Lowry and the Painting of Modern Life, 25th June - 20th October 2013, un-numbered exhibition, illustrated, fig.114. Literature Burlington Magazine, October 1961, no.

703, vol.103, illustrated p.28; The Daily Herald, 12th October 1961, illustrated p.4; David McLean, L.S. Lowry, Medici Society, London, 1978, p.20, illustrated; T.G. Rosenthal, L.S. Lowry, The Art and the Artist, Unicorn Press, Norwich, 2010, illustrated p.87. Catalogue Note Of the handful of London scenes that Lowry painted, this is the most iconic and monumental rendering of the cosmopolitan capital. The panorama is painted from a high viewpoint, taking in a wide view towards Regent Street and Shaftesbury Avenue. The scale of this work is impressive, making it similar in size to Lowry’s most majestic industrial landscapes. The iconic architecture of the buildings, clad with the famous billboards overlook the busy junction. Coca Cola is the most noticeable brand, and is the only product which is still advertised there today. The other advertisements are vaguer and more difficult to make out.

Lowry has not depicted the flamboyant colours of 1960s advertising, observed in the garish-coloured postcard which was sent to him by his friend Ted Frape, director of Salford City Art Gallery, when he heard Lowry was painting this scene (see Shelley Rohde, L.S. Lowry, A Biography, The Lowry Press, Salford, 1979, p.358). Lowry uses a muted golden-yellow pigment for the billboards – despite the potential for louder, brighter colours – which is echoed by the colour tones of some of the vans and even a few of the figures. The effect is to draw us more towards Lowry’s real interest, the finely painted silhouettes of the bustling crowd. A yellow tinge is added to the usual flake-white ground particularly in the sky, reminding us that in the fifties and early sixties London was a city dogged by pervasive smog. Lowry has caught Piccadilly in rush hour and a busy crowd bustles around Eros. We are distanced from the people who Lowry has deliberately reduced to mere outlines of colour with the flick of a brush, whilst retaining their individuality and expressive movements.

Lowry in this work has focused on mass-movement, the patterns and rhythms of the `hurry of the city’ as people run to catch a train or nip past a van and avoid an approaching bus. Yet despite the chaos, there is a core of stillness to the work around the imposing black silhouette of the Eros fountain where we find a more relaxed gathering of people standing, possibly waiting for the traffic to pass. Indeed, whilst many figures are so hurried they appear almost diagonal, Lowry in this crowd, has cleverly mixed the paces, adding a few who trudge, hands in pockets, and figures who amble along in conversation while some pause admiring each other’s dogs. The coterie of carefully differentiated figures heading in all directions includes the familiar cast: women, children, businessmen, the elderly, together with their hats, scarves, umbrellas, walking-sticks, handbags, suitcases and even a pram. The choreographed placement of the groups is essential for the balance of the composition. Spalding comments on Lowry’s depiction of the crowd: `This is the secret of Lowry’s crowd scenes.

It is not the individuals, though each has character, but the way they relate to each other, echo or counteract each other’s shapes to build up a rhythmic pattern which creates the vitality in his scenes’ (Julian Spalding, Lowry, The Herbert Press Ltd, London, 1987, p.16). Piccadilly Circus, London was painted at a time when Lowry’s work was particularly in demand. It was included in his famous one-man show in London on 11th October 1961. An exhibition which was so popular that the Daily Herald headlined the show with 'Sold Out - Try Again Later' alongside a photo of Lowry standing by this very painting (see pp.68-69). Shelley Rohde describes the opening: ‘On the morning of the private view, the customary hush of the Lefevre Gallery, now moved to Burton Street, was rudely disturbed by hordes of "cheque-waving admirers of the artist" ...’ (Shelley Rohde, L.S. Lowry, A Biography, The Lowry Press, Salford, 1979, p.357).

This exceptional work was previously in the collection of the hotelier, the late Lord Forte, who had owned it for over twenty years. It was auctioned in 2011, when the work sold for £5.6 million equalling the previous record-price for a painting by Lowry at auction. Since A.J. Thompson purchased the work, it has been displayed as a loan alongside the permanent collection at The Lowry and most recently included in the Tate retrospective.

Question: In November 2011, 'Piccadilly Circus, London', one of the very few paintings of London by which artist, sold at auction for £5.6 million?
Answer: LS Lowry